[INT. HOSPITAL, JON’S ROOM]
[TAPE CLICKS ON.]
[A clock ticks steadily in the background.]
[The door opens, and we get a brief few seconds of hallway noise before it is closed again.]
[We hear a few breaths, and a footstep or to as whoever entered makes their way to the bed.]
MARTIN: Hi, Jon. (shaky breath)
MARTIN: (pause)
MARTIN: Uh-hh.. How are you? (short pause) (short laugh) Yeah. Yeah, same here. It’s- (inhale) It’s bad all over, (sigh) y’know? [Hold I’m-] getting by, I suppose. Um.. Basira’s keeping things, taking over, and Melanie is– (sigh) Well, well,
[The “well” turns into a rueful laugh.]
MARTIN: Melanie is Melanie. (laugh) Anyway, yeah, just- thought I’d stop by. Check in and uh, y’know. See how you’re, um–
MARTIN: (pause) (sigh) (pause)
MARTIN: We really need you, Jon. Everything’s- It’s bad. I- I don’t know how much longer we can do this. We- I need you. And I- I know that you’re not– I know there’s no way to–
MARTIN: (soft, shaky breath) But we need you, Jon. Jon, please, just– (wet) Please. (trying not to cry) If- If there’s anything left in you that can still see us, or, or some power that you’ve still got, or, or, or, something, anything, please!
MARTIN: (pause, more put together) Please. (inhale, definitely about to cry) I- I can’t-
[His phone buzzes three times– it’s on vibrate– he gasps softly in surprise. We hear him get up from what, presumably, is a chair, and answer the phone. When he speaks, he’s much more business-like, gives no sign that he was seconds away from crying not even a minute before.]
MARTIN (PHONE): Yeah. Yeah, I know.
MARTIN (PHONE): (waits for response)
MARTIN (PHONE): I’m- I’m actually with him now.
[He sniffs as he says this, the way you might try to get rid of a cold.]
MARTIN (PHONE) (PHONE): You were right.
[He moves about.]
MARTIN (PHONE): (waits) (shaky breath) I –
MARTIN (PHONE): (big sigh)
MARTIN (PHONE): Will they be safe?
MARTIN (PHONE): (waits)
MARTIN (PHONE): Okay. (more confident) Okay. I’ll do it.
MARTIN (PHONE): (response)
MARTIN (PHONE): Yeah. Sure thing.
[Small sigh from Martin.]
MARTIN: (to Jon) I’m sorry. Goodbye, Jon.